After more than two decades closed, Indiana State University’s John C. Hook Memorial Observatory Dome reopened to the campus and community, thanks to the revitalization efforts of a student and an alumnus.
The College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Earth and Environmental Systems hosted the grand reopening on Thursday, November 20.
“The dome that sits atop the Science Building has been a unique feature of the Indiana State University campus since the 1960s,” said Dr. Jennifer Latimer, chairperson of the Department of Earth and Environmental Systems. “It’s wonderful to have a functioning dome again, which will expand student and community opportunities to experience the night sky.”
Indiana State University affiliate faculty member and astronomer James Wallace and Kody Walker, student director of the John C. Hook Observatory, led the restoration efforts that returned the dome to full operation.
“The reopening of the John C. Hook Memorial Observatory Dome is a powerful testament to the impact of collaborative, hands-on learning at Indiana State University,” said Dr. Melinda Roberts, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “It’s inspiring to see an alumnus and a student, James and Kody, lead this revitalization.”
Wallace served as both an undergraduate and graduate student director of the Observatory in the late 1980s and 1990s. Reflecting on those early years, he said, “I was honored and privileged to bring my vision of the heavens to the fine folks of the Wabash Valley for nearly seven years.”
“This remarkable and historic observatory brings people together to experience the wonders of the cosmos and share a collective love of space and astronomy,” Walker said.
While the dome had been closed for about two decades, the observatory itself remained active. Student workers regularly took telescopes across campus and throughout Vigo County for public viewing events.
Wallace described the dome’s restoration as a lifelong passion project. “I'm proud to say that my vision of the heavens above was made possible by the countless faculty and students at Indiana State University,” he said.